Devices Using Mackie/Logic Control Protocol

This will walk you through the process of configuring and using
a MIDI control surface with Ardour that uses the Mackie Control
protocol (MCP) or Logic Control protocol. Devices that
have been tested and are known to work include the SSL Nucleus, Mackie
Control Pro (plus extenders), Behringer devices in Mackie/Logic mode,
and Steinberg CMC devices.

Enabling Mackie Control in Ardour

Navigate to Edit > Preferences > Control Surfaces.
Tick the Mackie option and click on the
Show Protocol Settings button to see the setup dialog:

Once your setup is complete, click "OK" to close the dialog. Now click
on the enable checkbox for "Mackie Control".

Devices using ipMIDI

If you are using a device that uses ipMIDI, such as the SSL Nucleus, no
MIDI port connections are required—Ardour and your control
surface will be able to talk to each other automatically so long as
your control surface and computer are both connected to the same network.

Connecting control surface and Ardour MIDI ports

Before attempting to use a Mackie Control device that communicates via
a standard MIDI cable or a USB cable, you should ensure that
your Linux
MIDI environment is setup.
If you are using a device that uses normal MIDI (via a standard MIDI or
USB cable), you need to connect Ardour's Mackie Control in and out ports
to the MIDI ports leading to and coming from the control surface.

When you have made these connections once, Ardour will recreate them
for you in the future, as long as you leave Mackie Control enabled.

Customizing your control surface

Every possible global Mackie Control button can be bound to any
action present in Ardour's GUI. Please check your control surface
page for suggestions.

Preparing your device for use with Ardour

Most interfaces will require some configuration to send and respond to
MCP.

When setting up the control surface, do not use "Pro Tools"
mode. Pro Tools is the only DAW that still requires HUI. The rest of
world uses Mackie Control Protocol. Ardour does not support HUI at
this time.